Cyclone Roanu: Death toll rises to 24 in Bangladesh

Heavy winds and rain hit the Barisal-Chittagong region at 88 kmph damaging hundreds of houses and causing landslides, according to disaster officials. The toll was highest in Chittagong killing 12 people in the dsitrict. The number of deaths was three each in Noakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Bhola while one each died in Feni, Patuakhali and Lakshmipur.

According to reports, deaths occurred in seven districts as the storm uprooted trees and destroyed several houses on Saturday. Most places witnessed rain and thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind since early morning.

Around 500,000 people have been evacuated according to disaster management ministry spokesman. Officials and reports said under the impact of the cyclone Roanu, stormy winds levelled several hundred village huts by causing landslides.

“The officer in charge of Banskhali (of Chittagong) police station informed that seven people were killed who were victims of drowning or landslides,”. Met office issued a warning of 7 on a scale of 10 for three of the four main seaports. The storm affected power and road communications in many parts of the country leaving thousand homeless.

The cyclone damaged thousands of mud-and-tin houses in the southern districts, along with many low-lying villages that are now destroyed by the storm.